Who here has heard of cottage pie? If not, it’s a shepherd’s pie’s tame cousin. This dish is perfect for the cold winter months when you want something savory, filling, and comforting. I mean, who doesn’t love beef, corn, and potatoes? That’s the best combo if you ask me! If you’d like to learn how to make cottage pie and learn how it’s different from Shepherd’s pie, keep reading!
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Cottage pie vs. Shepherd’s pie
What’s the difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie? Well, first of all, they use different meats. Cottage pie uses beef while shepherd’s pie uses lamb. Cottage pie also doesn’t have all the vegetables of a shepherd’s pie, which makes it great for picky eaters!
How to make cottage pie
Prep the ingredients
Because we’re using premade mashed potatoes, prepping for this recipe is easy! All you need to do is chop the onion and drain the corn. If you prefer to make your own mash, feel free to do so!
Cook it
The first thing you’ll need to do is preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan and cook the ground beef for 3-4 minutes. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper! Cook until browned. If the meat is too fatty, drain some of the fat or spoon it out of the pan.
Add the chopped onions to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure to stir frequently so the onions don’t burn and cook evenly.
Preheat a second skillet over medium heat, we’re making gravy, baby! Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Whisk constantly! Cook these for 2 minutes, enough time to get rid of the flour flavor. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Let this mixture thicken for 1-2 minutes and pour it into the beef/onion mixture. Mix together.
Preheat your broiler to high. In a small casserole dish, layer the meat mixture on the bottom. The next layer will be the corn and then topped with your premade mashed potatoes*. Drizzle the top of the potatoes with melted butter. Place in oven and broil until the mash is evenly browned.
*If you liked really seasoned potatoes, this is the time to do it. Feel free to add whatever you want. Salt, pepper, and chives sound good to me!
Take the cottage pie out of the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Serve and enjoy!
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 3/4 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 Tbsp butter + 4 Tbsp melted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/4 cup worcestershire
- 24 g corn
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
- pre-made mashed potatoes You can make fresh, but pre-made saves you time.
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Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan and cook the ground beef for 3-4 minutes. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper! if the meat is too fatty, drain some of the fat.
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Add the chopped onions to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
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Preheat a second skillet over medium heat, we're making a gravy! Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook these for 2 minutes. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth. Let it thicken for 1-2 minutes and pour it into the beef/onion mixture.
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Preheat your broiler to high. In a small casserole dish, layer the meat mixture on the bottom. The next layer will be the corn (drained of course) and then topped with your premade mashed potatoes. Drizzle the top of the potatoes with melted butter. Place in oven and broil until the mash is evenly browned.
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Take out of the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Doesn’t this cottage pie look incredible? Is your mouth watering, because mine is! Let me know if you like this comfort food series. If you’d like more comfort food recipes, click here! Want to save this for later? Use the images below to save this recipe on all of your favorite Pinterest boards!
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